One Last Gift
by mimbulus-mimbletonia
Summary: ONESHOT: Harry contemplates a gift to give to Aunt Petuniasomething good from the Magical world she can remember....And then, Snape arrives to collect him, and memories are revelaed. Mild PDSS NON HBP COMPLIANT Thanks BriannaMarie for pointing that out


He had been debating over what to give her for a while.

As much as Harry disliked, or even hated his Aunt and Uncle; he knew he was coming to the end of an era. Harry was leaving home, for the last time.

He knew he wouldn't ever return, he might not even be alive to return. Not that he would want to. Harry just wanted to give his 'family' something of his own world.

If he could give them something magical, and let their last magical experience be a good one.

He could offer to fix up their house, retrieve a lost item with 'Accio.' To Harry it all sounded a bit mundane, unimaginative. He wanted something memorable.

Hermione hadn't thought much of the idea, she had told him she'd help him if he needed it; but she didn't want to give something so precious to people who had treated Harry so badly.

Harry hadn't even told Ron.

The weeks of Harry's last summer at the Dursleys went fast. No longer was Harry avoiding Dudley's gang, as Harry had only too frequently reminded Dudley, he would soon be allowed to do magic legally.

And if the 'Chosen One' accidentally had a mishap with one of his cousins friends, then it would all be brushed over.

Harry had taken much delight in telling Dudley this.

On the day Harry was due to leave Privet Drive, Harry had received an owl telling him that he was to greet Professor Snape at his house, stay for Dinner with Professor Snape at the Dursleys and then disapperate to Grimmauld Place.

Harry knew it wouldn't go to plan the moment his Aunt opened the door at half past six in the evening to shout out, "Severus Snape get away from me this instant!"

Three steps at a time, Harry had leapt down the stairs to find his screeching aunt facing his rather abashed Potions Professor. Mouth agape, Harry watched stunned as Professor Snape stood up straight and nodded wearily, "Hello to you to, Petunia."

Dinner was a decisively awkward affair. Neither Professor Snape nor Aunt Petunia would say a word about how they knew each other, (though in Harry's eyes it was painfully obvious through whom they shared a link.)

It wasn't until dessert when Uncle Vernon slammed his wine glass on the table with a wobble and declared, "What the bloody hell is going on here Petunia?"

Latching onto his Uncles temper Harry added, "And how do you," addressing Professor Snape, "know my aunt?"

"Now don't tell me you are stupid enough not to work that one out Potter," Snape said with a smirk.

Slightly abashed Harry growled at his professor, "Yes but how…why?"

Snape closed his eyes and breathed, pausing as if to mark a momentous occasion. "Lily and I…"

Aunt Petunia stood up and pointed her finger, face aghast screeching at Snape, "Don't call her Lily, don't you say her name!"

As in pain, Snape grimaced and nodded, "Your mother and I were…we were friends."

Harry fell off his chair.

"We both shared an aptitude for potions, we would meet and study together. She would tutor me at charms, she was excellent at charms."

"I've heard," Harry said faintly.

"I would tutor her in Divination, not that she cared for the subject. I can't say I did either but that was before Trelawny's time and things were better then. I was her escape," he added quietly, "her escape from your father's relentless tirade in hope of courting her."

And all of a sudden several things clicked into place in Harry's mind, he turned on his aunt. "You!" he barked, "When you said that mum would bring that boy home, you meant the Professor didn't you? And you let me think it was my father."

"Yes, It was Severus, always Severus," she replied sullenly.

"I visited every summer after second year, after my mother died." Snape offered, "We would spend a few weeks finishing all of our homework and then Petunia would introduce us to her muggle friends."

Aunt Petunia sniffed haughtily and added scathingly, "Severus wanted to meet all the boys."

"Hardly," Snape scoffed, "Petty always wanted to show off her new boyfriend."

Harry looked at his aunt and professor, "Petty?"

Aunt Petunias cheeks flamed and she mumbled, "You had to tell him that Sev."

Harry grinned at his professor, "Sev?"

"Don't Potter," was the reply.

Vernon and Dudley had long left the table and Harry was amazed as he watched his aunt and professor throw the banter at each other for what seemed like an age. It was bizarre to watch, and almost exactly like Mr and Mrs Weasley arguing, near identical to a Hermione and Ron performance. It was then that he realised.

"You!" he accused dramatically, "You two, were, you were….together!"

Snape bowed his head and Aunt Petunia blushed.

"You were!"

"It was the biggest argument I ever had with Lily," Snape said quietly, "It took her the entire summer to forgive me. She locked herself in her room for a week and didn't talk to me for two more after that. That was the summer of 6th year."

"And what happened?" Harry demanded.

"Summer ended, we went back to our school," Aunt Petunia nodded, "I met Vernon and Severus…"

"I met the dark lord."

"And things were just never the same after that," Aunt Petunia finished, giving a long wistful glare to Professor Snape.

"Well Potter, we best be off," Snape said briskly after a moments pause.

"Oh yes, well okay. Accio Trunk." Harry said vacantly.

The trunk came flying down the stairs and burst open, spraying its contents around the room. A photo landed in Aunt Petunias soup.

"Now that was careless Potter," Snape admonished.

"She was beautiful," Aunt Petunia croaked, holding the sodden Picture, "Lily was beautiful."

"Yes She was," Snape agreed solemnly, levitating Harry's possessions into his case.

An idea sprang to Harry's mind.

"You can have it," he blurted out, "The picture, you can have it. I have an entire album upstairs."

"Oh No Harry, I must have one somewhere, being silly over a picture."

"You need it," Harry repeated, "A photo for the mantelpiece."

Aunt Petunia closed her eyes and nodded, before standing to wave her guest and Nephew farewell.

She hugged Harry and Severus each in turn and whispered something into Snape's ear that Harry couldn't distinguish. And waving farewell, Snape placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and together they disapparated.

Arriving outside Grimmauld Place, Harry turned to Snape and asked him if he had done the right thing, giving Aunt Petunia the photo.

"You didn't give her the photo Potter," Snape replied, removing the still sodden picture from his pocket, "you gave her back the love for her sister."

"And you? What about giving her your love?"

"She always had it Potter."


End file.
